Electric furnace.



PATENTEB MAR. 13, 1906.

M. RUTHENBURQV, ELECTRIC PURNAGE.

APPLIGATION FILED AUG. 14, l905.

WTNESSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MARCUS RUTHENBURG, 0F.' LOUKPORT, NEW YORK.

ELEormc Funmioe,

Batented March 18, 1908.

Application lsd August 1.4,'1995. Serial Ho. 274,022

cation, reference beingy had to the accompa-y nying drawings.

My lmprovements relate to furnaces of the.

resistance type. Ordinarily when carbon electrodes are employed 'as terminals of the heating-circuit in such furnac'e they are-so arranged as to he rapidly eroded by the action of the electric current, andthe renewal of said electrodes forms a large percentage of the operating expenses of such a furnace.

Therefore an ob'ectI of my invention is to lengthen the life oflsuch electrodes,

In the form of my invention hereinafter described a fused bath, which may consist wholly or in part of a metal which is to bev treated-for instance, iron or steel-has a layer of inert matcrial--for instance, ,fused slag of bauxite-floated upon it. Said layer of inert material supports a ,comminuted mass of' resistermaterial-@for instance, coke or carbon--and said resister is connected with the electric heating-circuit by having opposite terminals of the latter immersed in it, Said terminals being solid. cylinders of fine carbon, the ell'ect of their disposal as described `is to minimize the erosive effect of the current upon themby localizing such effect 4in the mass of comminuted resister, which is much chea er and which may be readily renewcd. T ic function and effect of the layer of inert slag are to keep the metal bath and the comminuted resistor apart, so that said bath does not absorb the resister, and yet the heat produced in the resister is transmitted by the slag to the metal bath to maintain the proper temperature therein.

My invention comprises the various novel features of construction and arrangement hereinafter more definitely specified and claimed.

The accomliianying drawing is a diagrammatic view of a typical form of my invention, whereinl l is the fused bath, upon which is floated the layer of inert material 2,r and 3 is the layer of comminuted resister, which is floated upon the layer 2 and 'prevented bv thevlattcr from mixing with the bath l, The electric fusing-circuit comprises positive and negative :onductors 5 and 6, respectively provided 'with the terminals 8 and 9, which.convena iently consist of solid cylinders of fine carbony Said terminals are immersed in respectivelydiflerent regions of the resister 3 in separated relationfand conveniently 1n alternate relation with respect vto their polarity. The el feet ofthe arrangement above described is to y localize the destructive effect 'of the current Lio the comnunuted mass of the resister 3 he tween said terminals 8 and 9 and to maintain said mass at such a temperature as to maintain the layer of inert material 2 amt the bath 1 fused.

It is'to'be understood that thc `arrangefment above described merely typical 11er instance, it isnot essential that the terminals shall be disposed in the alternate relation s iiied lor that the relative proportions of thgcelements of the apparatus shall be in dicated in the drawing. Therefore l do not desire to limit myself to the precise construc-- tion and arrangement herein set forth, as ver?,- ous modifications may be made therein wi out departing from the essential 'features ci' my invention.

l1. In an electric furnace, the combination with a fused bath of a .la-yer of inert material floated on said bath; a layer of connninutei'l resister iloated on said inert layer; and, an

'electric circuit connected with said resister,

substantially as set forth.

2. In an electric furnace, the combination with a fused bath of a layer of inert material floated on said bath; a layer of comminuted resister 4.floated on said inert layer; and, an electric circuit havingr opposite terminals in different regions of said resister, subs-"tan-y tially as set forth.

3. In an electric furnace, they combination with a fused bath; of a layer of inert material floated on'said bath; a layer oi comminuted resister lloated on said inert layer; and, an l electric circuit having carbon terminals in different revions oi said resister, substantially as set lbrth.

4. in an electric furnace, the combination with a fused bath g of a layer olinert materiel floated on said bath; a layer of comminutod resist-cr floated on said inert laycrgand, an

'electric circuit having a plurality' of positive and negative terminals disposed in alternate relation in different regions of said resister, substantially as set forth. v

5, ln an electric furnace', the combination with a fused metal bath; of a layer of inert IOO ric

'nunuteddresister floated on said material vloeted on said bath a layer of coinminnted resister floated onl said inert lai-yer; and, an electric circuit connected with scid resister, substantially as, set forth.

6. In an electric Jfurnace, the combination with a fused metal birth; of a layer of inert slug floated on said bath; u layer of co1ninert loyer; and, enlectm'c circuit connected with seid resister, 4substantially asiset Jorth.

7. In an elec riefnrinice, the combination With'a fused metal bath; ot a layer of bauxite slag floated on said bath; e layer of comminuted resister floated on said slag; and, en l electric circuit connected with said resister, substantially as set forth.

S. ln en electric furnace, the combination with e fused hath 3 of e layer of inert material floated on seid beth; fr. layer of colnnxinuted coke-resister Afloated on Suid inert loyer; und, ,an electric circuit connected with seid coke, substantially us Set vforth.

9. In en electric furnace, thc combination with n. fused 'l'crrnginous hath 5 ol e layer of inert materiel ilonted on said bath; u loyer of' connninuted resister lloeled on Suid inert layer; and, an electric circuit connected with i Suid resister, substantially es forth. I ln witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name, et Lockport, in the State of New York, this 19th d ay of July, 1905.

MARCUS RUTHENBURG.

Witnesses:

J. FRANK SMITH, CHARLOTTE E. SPALDINAG. 

